Vacuum cleaner



Oct. 9, 1962 B.J.TAMAR1N ETAL VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 31, 1959 FlC INVENTORS'.

BERNARD J. TAMARIN @Q U EML m m M AT TOR NEY.

United ltates 3,056,995 VACUUM CLEANER Bernard J. Tamarin, Whitemarsh, and Adolph Meletti, Philadelphia, Pa.; said Maletti assigner to said Tamarin Filed July 31, 1959, Ser. No. 830,821 9 Claims.. (Cl. 15-323) This invention relates to mounting of the electrical cord for a vacuum cleaner, particularly a vacuum cleaner of the so-called upright type, concerning especially interior location of a reel with such cord extensibly or retractably carried thereon.

The electrical cords of upright or push-type vacuum cleaners conventionally are wound about a pair of clips spaced on the handle. It is bothersome to unwind and wind up the cord at the beginning and end of each period of use of the vacuum cleaner or as distance of the vacuum cleaner from the electrical outlet varies during use. However, economy yof manufacture severely limits the degree of redesign that may be undertaken to mount the cord otherwise.

A primary object of the present invention is improved mounting of the electrical cord of an upright vacuum cleaner. An object is provision of a retractable cord mounting for an otherwise conventional vacuum cleaner. A particular object is interior, preferably concealed but readily accessible, location of a cord-reel attachment on an upright vacuum cleaner. A further object is improvement in operating convenience of such a vacuum cleaner through provision of finger-tip control of the unreeled length of electrical cord therefor. Other objects of this invention, together with means and methods for attaining the various objects, will be `apparent from the following description and the accompanying diagrams.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a vacuum cleaner embodying this invention; FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the apparatus of FIG. l; FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus of -the preceding views; FIG. 4 is `a rear elevation of a modification of vacuum cleaner according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation (partly cut away) of the apparatus of FIG. 4; and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along a diameter of a cord reel suited for use in the apparatus ofthe preceding views.

lIn general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished, in a vacuum cleaner of the electrically operated upright type comprising a housing, dust-collecting means associated with the housing and located exterior thereof, a pliable cover for the dust-collecting means, by locating a cord reel within the cover and supporting it at least indirectly by the housing and a handle movably mounted with respect to the housing and partially supporting the pliable cover, the handle being movable with respect to the housing relatively independently of the cord reel. The invention contemplates particularly a cord-reel attachment for such a vacuum cleaner, comprising reel means loca-ted inside the cover and including a rotatable wind-up spool, an electrical cord wrapped about the spool, and support means axed to the reel means and connected to the cleaner, being adapted thereby to support the reel means in place inside the cover.

FIG. l shows vacuum cleaner in front elevation, comprising (in part) a housing having base portion 12 and top portion 13, together with handle 15 movably mounted with regard thereto so las to permit it `and associated elements to be Itilted backward and downward in use. Grip 16 terminates the handle at the top, and eye 17 with cord 18 passing through it extends sideways from the handle just underneath the grip. The cord terminates in plug 19. Located out of sight inside the housing are the conventional wheels and electrical motor, the fan or blower, and electrical and mechanical interconnections Patented Oct. 9, 1962 therefor, which do not constitute any part of the present invention as such land, therefore, are not shown or discussed further.

Extending upward from the housing Ibehind the handle and almost to the grip is pliable cover 2l, which has zipper 22 extending Ialong the right edge thereof. The top of the cover terminates at supporting strip 23, which grips the cover, preferably detachably, and extends transversely behind the handle, and hooks thereto, all as is well known in the art. Shown in broken lines is dust-collecting bag 24, which necks inward at the bottom and tits detachably at its inlet over exhaust port 25 (also shown in broken lines) inside the cover. The exhaust port is affixed to the top portion 13 of the housing.

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus of FIG. l in rear elevation with the cover partly unzipped at the bottom, including a transverse terminal path of the zipper near the bottom edge of the cover, thereby revealing reel 31 and part of bag 24. Also visible is aperture 32, resembling a buttonhole or grommeted opening, through which cord 18 passes from the interior to the exterior of the cover.

FIG. 3 shows the same apparatus in side elevation somewhat enlarged over the scale of lthe preceding views. `In addition to the partial unzipping of the openable part of the cover, this view shows more of the interior by having an additional part of the cover cut away, although the unzipped opening is itself suicient to permit the reel itself to tilt outward (to the rear) on its hinge, from the normal operating position previously shown in FIG. 2 and represented here in broken lines. Visible is exhaust port 25 rising from its connection (preferably rigid) `to |the housing. The inlet or neck of bag 24, which is held about the exhaust port by expansible retaining ring 36 (preferably an extension spring coiled about the neck) joins the body of the bag at a location above the bottom so as to prevent accumula-ted dust from clogging the inlet. This view also shows details of the hinged reel mounting; this comprises pin 37 pivotally attached (as by bolts, rivets, or the like) to both hinge pieces, piece 38 being affixed to the reel, and piece 39 to the exhaust port. Depending from the lower part of the reel are electrical leads 41, 41 which ldisappear into the housing, and visible part of the way up the side of the reel housing is opening 42, through which the connecting electrical cord passes to and from the wind-up spool inside.

FIG. 4 shows in rear elevation the lower portion of a modification differing from that shown in the preceding views only by the mounting of the reel on the vacuum cleaner. In this embodiment of the invention the former hinged mounting for the reel is replaced by a variation comprising pivot pin 47, which is oriented perpendicular to the previous hinge pin, together with suitable fastening pieces 48 and 49 attached to the reel and to the exhaust port, respectively. Thus, when the cover is unzipped, the reel can be rotated from its normal operating or rest position (shown here in broken lines) to the position shown in solid lines. Although part of the cover is broken away in this view for simplicity of the showing, full unzipping of the cover permits at least forty-five degrees of arcuate movement of the reel about its pivot away from the unzipped side. The normal upright position of the reel may be favored by any suitable means, as by mating notch and detent on the respective mounting or fastening pieces, as is wholly conventional for similar mountings.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 4 with the cover similarly partialy unzipped and with a portion thereof broken away to reveal the interior. In this view the reel appears in its normal upright position. The handle, together with the cover and interior elements, is tipped backward (to the right) at a moderate angle in accord with a common operating position, rather than being shown upright as the apparatus of FIG. 3 was.

FIG. .6 shows a cord reel, such as is indicated in the preceding views, sectioned medially along the reel axis. It is apparent that in addition to housing 31, which has aperture 42 in it for pasage of cord 18, the reel cornprises spool 1 pivotally mounted inside the. housing on axle 2 retained therein by pair of inserts 5, 3 extending from the exterior through the housing into opposite ends of the axle. Afxed to one inside face of the spool is yrotor 4, which has spring 5 coiled inside it with the opposite ends attached to the axle and the rotor, respective- 1y, to bias the rotor in a single direction of rotation. Cord 1S is wound in layers around the spool in the opposite direction, so that the spring biases the spool to a fully wound position. Leads 41, 41 passing through small aperture in the housing terminate at pair of brushes 7, 7 in contact with respective annular rings 8, 8. The rings are affixed in layer of insulation ll attached to the side of the spool opposite the rotor and are connected to the ends of the respective conducting wires in the innermost layer of cord on the spool. Ratchet mechanism 9 of conventional design is located between the side of the reel to which the rotor is attached and the adjacent housing wall. Shown fragmentarily, attached to the exterior of the housing by suitable means, is a mounting piece, which may be hinged or pivoted, corresponding to lpieces 38 and 48 of the embodiments in the previous views, or otherwise secured to the cleaner as previously suggested. A similar (not wholly identical) construction of retractable cord reel is shown and described in Patent 2,443,701. Nearly any conventional reel of this general type will be suitable for use in accordance with the present invention.

It will be apparent that users of a vacuum cleaner constructed according to this invention can manipulate the cleaner itself with one hand while holding the cord with the other hand and can pay the cord out from the reel as the cleaner is pushed forward. As the ratchet normally holds the unreeled length of cord from winding back onto the reel, the user can take a new grip on the cord near the handle and pay out more cord as the cleaner is pushed forward again. A slight tug on the cord will release the ratchet and enable the cord to rewind on to the reel in the usual manner. Thus, the unwound portion of the cord can be maintained at a convenient length, preventing it from accumulating on the oor to interfere with the progress of the vacuum cleaner or tangle about the feet of the user. The plug is restrained from moving further toward the reel than the top portion of the handle and remains handy there when the cleaner is not in use. The illustrated eye for guiding the. cord near the handle grip may be replaced by a positive locking or braking device, such as that utilizing a wedging ball or roller as disclosed in Patent 2,148,590, in which event the ratchet may be eliminated from the cord reel.

The reel is mounted so as not to interfere with expansion of the dust-collecting bag when the air exhausted by the cleaner is blown into (and through) the bag and to move readily out of the way when the dust bag has to be replaced. Removal of the bag is accomplished in conventional m-anner by unzipping the cover and rolling the retaining spring or similar securing means from around the neck of the bag where it fits on the exhaust port. The normally opaque cover conceals the reel from View in the only location available in the conventional upright vacuum cleaner without enlargement of any part thereof. Other benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and accrue to those undertaking to practice it.

Modifications in the described and illustrated arrangement of the design of the hinges, pivot pins, and other supporting elements for the reel may be varied while retaining all or many of the benefits of the invention. The size and shape of the reel may be altered. If desired, instead of bolting, riveting, or otherwise permanently fastening the reel to a supporting member attached to the housing, a plug-in or snap-on type of support may be used, thereby facilitating removal of the reel, instead of pivoting or otherwise moving it aside, as when replacing the dust-collecting bag. The exhaust port itself may be flexibly mounted to facilitate movement of it as the handle moves or as the bag is being replaced, as is well known, in which event equivalent mechanical support for the reel may be affixed directly to the housing or to any member supported thereby, such as the handle or even the cover, though admittedly with s ome changes in the benefits and results. The aperture in the cover through which the cord passes may be moved to the top, side, center, or near the bottom, as may prove most convenient. If desired, the cover itself may be made of air-impermeable plastic or other preferably exible material with apertures punched or otherwise provided therein to permit passage of the air therethrough from the dust-collecting bag. Other modifications in the apparatus of this invention may be made without involving a departure from the claimed inventive concept.'

The claimed invention:

l. Vacuum cleaner of the electrically operated upright type, comprising a housing, dust-collecting means associated with the housing and located exterior thereof, a pliable cover for the dust-collecting means, a cord reel located within the cover and supported by the housing, and a handle movably mounted with respect to the housing and partially supporting the pliable cover, the handle being movable with respect to the housing relatively independently of the cord reel.

2. The apparatus of claim l wherein the reel is pivotally supported.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the housing of the vacuum cleaner carries an exhaust port, and the cord reel is pivotally mounted on the exhaust port.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the dust-collecting means is removable, the cover has an openable portion in the vicinity of the exhaust port, and the reel is adapted to swing away from the exhaust port when the cover is opened to facilitate removal of the dust-collecting means therefrom.

5. In an electrical vacuum cleaner having a movable, normally relatively upright handle, a housing supporting the handle, the housing being provided with an exhaust port, a dust-collecting bag on the exhaust port, and a cover surrounding the bag, the improvement comprising a cord reel movably supported relatively independently of the handleI and between the bag and the cover, the cover having an aperture therein for passage of the cord between the interior and the exterior thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the handle carries means adapted to receive the cord and limit passage thereof to the reel.

7. In a vacuum cleaner of the electrically operated upright type having an upwardly extending, movably attached handle and having a dust-collecting bag and a cover therefor normally attached at one end to the handle and detachable therefrom, the improvement comprising cord-carrying means located inside the cover in the vicinity of the opposite end thereof from attachment of the cover to the handle 4and adapted to carry an extensible electrical cord, the handle being movable independently of the cord-carrying means, together with supporting means for the cord-carrying means located at least partly inside the cover and attached to the cleaner, the attachment of the supporting means to the cleaner being adapted to permit movement of the. cord-carrying means when the handle is stationary.

8. In a vacuum cleaner of the electrically operated upright type having a mobile housing, a propelling handle movably attached to the housing, an exhaust port associated with the housing, dust-collecting means secured in communicating relationship to the exhaust port, and a pliable and air-permeable cover surrounding the dust-collecting means and detachably secured to the handle, the

improvement comprising an electrical cord reel and a mounting therefor, the cord reel being located outside the dust-collecting means and inside the cover, the mounting therefor being connected to the exhaust port of the housing and supported thereby, the attachment of the handle and the mounting for the cord reel being relatively independent of one another.

9. The vapparatus of claim 16 wherein the cord reel is spaced Within the interior of the cover, and the cover is suflciently opaque, that the cord reel is eectively con- 10 cealed in both appearance and outline by the cover during use of the cleaner.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Swann Nov. 21, 1944 Reeves Apr. 24, 1945 Tamarin et al. Mar. 23, 1954 Ziegler May 29, 1956 Tamarin Mar. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 17, 1949 1UN1TED STATES PATENT OFFICE Q CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3,056,995 October 9, 1962 Bernard J., Tamarin et al It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 66, for "partialy" read partially F column 5, line 8, for the claim reference numeral "I6" l read 8 Signed and sealed this 26th day of March 1963e (SEAL) Attest:

ESTON G. JOHNSON DAVID L. LADD Atteting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

